SCPEC fines Electrical Networks of Armenia in the amount of 20 million drams

YEREVAN, May 16. /ARKA/. Armenia’s State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) has ruled today to penalize the Russian-owned Electrical Networks of Armenia (ENA) in the amount of 20 million drams for its failure to connect residents of a residential building built four years ago to the network.

According to SCPEC chairman Artak Shaboyan, the company argued that the residents of the building should conclude relating contracts with the developer company Millar, which has outstanding financial obligations to the Electrical Networks of Armenia.

The residents had asked the company many times to connect their homes to the network, but the company said it would do so if each home owner paid it 138,000 drams, thus to pay off Millar’s debt.

After considering all the circumstances of the case SCPEC concluded that the ENA that has monopoly in this sector is not entitled to decide at its own discretion whether to connect or not homes to the electrical network.

The SCPEC gave the Electrical Networks of Armenia seven days to conclude contracts with the residents for energy supply.

The Electric Networks of Armenia is a 100% subsidiary of Russian Inter RAO UES. The company has about 967,000 subscribers in Armenia. ($1 – 414.04 drams). –0-